Monday, February 22, 2010

Space Dust Monkeys

Sounds like a new illicit drug, right? If only. I could use a newer, cleaner buzz these days as the whole hourly dosing of caffeine + lifesavers routine is getting harder and harder to maintain. While I contemplate my options (Swedish Fish and Red Bull?), please to note that I have completed a pair of socks.The SpecsPattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A.Yarn: Socks That Rock Mediumweight, "Space Dust".Needles: Size 1.5 addi turboTime: October 2008-February 2010The Wayback Time Machine of Ravelry tells me that I started these socks back in 2008, so these only took oh, 16 months. To say that my sock enthusiasm has waned would be an understatement. I don't know what it is, I'm just not feeling the sock love anymore. I thought that by picking these back up I might rekindle the joy but no. I feel nothing. Socks are dead to me. If you happen to see me buying sock yarn at Maryland Sheep and Wool, Rhinebeck or some other yarn venue, you have my permission to accost me & engage in some sort of ritual shaming. I would in fact undertake a destash of epic proportions were it not for a. shawls and b. the desire to not deal with cheap ass mofos whose bad manners, lack of follow through and 'I'll PayPal you when I get off work' promises crush my tender heart and get my goat.Not only does sock knitting feel like some remote interest, like the 5 minutes in 2003 when I was interested in stamping (Babs will never let me forget that unfortunate hobby), even the socks themselves don't quite ignite my interest. When doing the photo shoot for these today at work, my model Sandrine noted how soft and comfy they were. I instantly gave them to her without a second thought. "Oh, you want 'em?". What is wrong with me?My knitting interests seem to reside elsewhere--because I am hauling some major ass on my February Lady Sweater. I mean this project is firing on all cylinders, and I am so motivated to finish it. Every time I'm on Ravelry I spend at least 20 solid minutes trolling through the gallery of finished projects and thinking "...mine....soon I will have one of my very own that will be MINE!". So, my new knitting motto is this: it's better to concentrate on projects that make you feel hopeful rather than deaden you soul.

OMG, can I relate to you sock disinterest. I think Cookie A is so cool, and I want to join the club, but could I give a flying fig about socks? No, I could not. Plus when I started felting, I inadvertently caused a friend to badly stub a toe by wearing socks with no shoes. Now every time I think of felting my mom a pair slippers, I have nightmares of her breaking a bone.

Meanwhile, I'm on my third Aestlight shawl by the Shetland Trader. I am digging that Space Dust, though . . .

The Monkeys turned out so cute that if they don't reignite your sock mojo, I think you're right to move on. I love doing socks, but sometimes I wonder why I spend so much time knitting things that are largely unnoticed!

Heather, those are some amazing monkeys!! I understand about losing your sock mojo...mine has started to wane as well. However, I would be very interested in your destashing if you every get around to it!

I think our sock mojos must've run off together, because I can't find mine either (though I think the two completely packed drawers of handknit socks might have something to do with it). Can't explain why I keep spinning sock yarn, though.

I can relate, however. I go through periods of utter sock obsession, followed by long (read: years) periods of total sock indifference. Unfortunately, during those periods of obsession, I have a tendency to buy waaaaaay too much sock yarn, which I then end up giving away during the lean times.

I did a UFO survey yesterday, and at least 4 partially finished first socks stared me down. Ugly. And the stamping thing? I worked for a rubber stamp company right out of college--I have hundreds of them. I need to get them out of the house--they keep me awake at night just knowing that they're hanging around.

Shucks, it is just my luck not to live next door/be a friend/a sock model/a receiver of bounties/even an American. Boo hoo! there is only a massive ocean separating us, and would that i could have sprouted wings, swooped down and snatched those gorgeous socks out of your kindly knitter hands...dont worry, I was never bitten at all by the sock bug but that doesnt mean I haven't wished and willed the bug to bite me, or longed to have the dexterity to deal with those skinny toothpick needles, because there are so many beeeyoooteeful patterns and sock yarns....I feel like an outcast in the land of Proper Knitters but just as I started to feel a tiny nip of the bug... the shawl obsession took off. Will that sockie buggie take a bigger bite next time or will it go to the old familiars like your good self? One of the great mysteries of life on the planet KNIT ME... I await further developments! :-)

If you don't feel it, you don't feel. Gorgeous socks, even if they leave you cold. Good thing sock yarn is good for shawls, hat, so many other things. Lately my favorite afternoon pick-me-up is Diet Coke & Good-n-Plenty candy.

This is what I love about this hobby. Quilting is pretty much blankets. Stamping is pretty much cards or scrapbooking. Knitting provides so many more choices! Socks, sweaters, cozies for more different things than sane people should wrap in wool...

I don't think I've ever said this out loud before, but I have "0" interest in knitting socks -- as in nada. I once upon a time, knit one sock and it has remained a single. I'll make baby booties, but I draw the line at anything larger. Although, I do adore certain sock yarns and have made many a lovely shawlette from said yarns! So, like you, I won't be drawn into the sock frenzy, but will appreciate it from a distance, with no desire to participate!

Stamping!! I love it that you were into stamping!! I wanted to get into that at one point in the 90s but never took the plunge.

The socks rock, natch. I am so down with your motto, though. I am roughly 4 inches from finishing a gorgeous pair of Sundara socks I started over a year ago. But so far, nothing has motivated me to finish them. Whatevs.

(p.s. to Lisa - there is WAY more you can do with quilting than just blankets!!)

I think "it's better to concentrate on projects that make you feel hopeful rather than deaden you soul" is a pretty good motto for all of life. Love how you throw these in right at the end, every time.

Love these monkeys, makes me want to cast on... in spite of myself. Luckily I don't find it soul-deadening; I do find socks perfect bus-knitting, and if I'm not riding the bus, suddenly I'm not knitting socks.